QF Platinum Denied Lounge on Arrival with Qantas Sydney Airport

[justinbrett]

Well as I mentioned, I was told arrivals access is not allowed due to covid in brisbane when I tried to use it. I guess I just put that info together with the notice on the website, and moved on...

The implied question in my post was: would those complaining rather see Qantas go bust?

Did you move on though?

 

[pagingjoan]

has anyone actually been successful getting entry on arrival during covid? I thought it was being pretty consistently applied?

I had no problem with access on arrival at SYD in December 2020.

 

[AFF Editor]

I've been in touch with Qantas regarding this issue. Qantas issued the following statement:

During the pandemic we implemented a number of capacity restrictions in our airport lounges to ensure members were better able to adhere to social distancing measures. This includes reducing arrivals access for customers with onward boarding passes where required.

As far as I can tell, the official Qantas policy at the moment is not an outright ban on arrivals access. However, lounge staff have a right to limit access during peak times, according to the "Fly Well" policy and to ensure social distancing is kept. If the lounge staff determine there is additional capacity available in the lounge at the time, they can permit access on arrival - but may look ahead at the departing flight schedules to predict the number of people expected over coming hours. This may or may not explain why some people were denied entry when the lounge wasn't busy.

As I said in my AFF article, it sure would be helpful if Qantas had a clear arrivals access policy that was published on its website! That would save a lot of confusion for both staff and customers...

 

[justinbrett]

I've been in touch with Qantas regarding this issue. Qantas issued the following statement:



As far as I can tell, the official Qantas policy at the moment is not an outright ban on arrivals access. However, lounge staff have a right to limit access during peak times, according to the "Fly Well" policy and to ensure social distancing is kept. If the lounge staff determine there is additional capacity available in the lounge at the time, they can permit access on arrival - but may look ahead at the departing flight schedules to predict the number of people expected over coming hours. This may or may not explain why some people were denied entry when the lounge wasn't busy.

As I said in my AFF article, it sure would be helpful if Qantas had a clear arrivals access policy that was published on its website! That would save a lot of confusion for both staff and customers...

Did they mean without onward boarding passes? Access WITH onward boarding passes isn't arrivals access, that's just access!

 

[Danger]

I've been in touch with Qantas regarding this issue. Qantas issued the following statement:



As far as I can tell, the official Qantas policy at the moment is not an outright ban on arrivals access. However, lounge staff have a right to limit access during peak times, according to the "Fly Well" policy and to ensure social distancing is kept. If the lounge staff determine there is additional capacity available in the lounge at the time, they can permit access on arrival - but may look ahead at the departing flight schedules to predict the number of people expected over coming hours. This may or may not explain why some people were denied entry when the lounge wasn't busy.

As I said in my AFF article, it sure would be helpful if Qantas had a clear arrivals access policy that was published on its website! That would save a lot of confusion for both staff and customers...

At least in my case, this argument of "capacity restrictions" to allow for "social distancing" is entirely without merit.

I also find the mixed tenses in the Qantas response to be particularly interesting. And even assuming the typo in the second sentence justinbrett noted, "where required" doesn't make sense in the context?

 

[AFF Editor]

Did they mean without onward boarding passes? Access WITH onward boarding passes isn't arrivals access, that's just access!

To be completely honest with you, I'm not sure. I've just quoted their statement verbatim, they didn't really provide any more info than what I posted.

 

[Vic]

Did you move on though?

Well, I went and found a public toilet in the airport. So yes I did.
I also didn't get on the internet to have a whinge...

At least in my case, this argument of "capacity restrictions" to allow for "social distancing" is entirely without merit.

I also find the mixed tenses in the Qantas response to be particularly interesting. And even assuming the typo in the second sentence justinbrett noted, "where required" doesn't make sense in the context?

You were fully informed of the expected departing passenger lounge use in your case?

 

[Daver6]

I also didn't get on the internet to have a whinge...

If you removed getting on the internet to whinge, it would reduce all internet traffic by 40%. The remaining 60% is made up of 90% cough anyway.

 

[ferntree]

Did they mean without onward boarding passes? Access WITH onward boarding passes isn't arrivals access, that's just access!

Exactly. The "clarifying" statement from Qantas makes absolutely no sense to me - indeed, if anythng it just amplifies the confusion.

I mean, the request for a clear, unambiguous, simple statement of where we exactly stand on this really doesn't seem a lot to ask.

 

[Hvr]

If you removed getting on the internet to whinge, it would reduce all internet traffic by 40%. The remaining 60% is made up of 90% cough anyway.

I think the complaint % is a little high and the other one a little low.

 

[Danger]

Well, I went and found a public toilet in the airport. So yes I did.
I also didn't get on the internet to have a whinge...

You were fully informed of the expected departing passenger lounge use in your case?

I'm sorry, I don't understand your question.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm sorry, I don't understand your question.

I think Vic's point is that capacity restrictions may be based on estimated numbers of passengers for upcoming flights. While the lounge may have been empty at the time of your arrival, they may have been expecting it to fill up based on upcoming flights. Are you confident there were no upcoming flights?

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Exactly. The "clarifying" statement from Qantas makes absolutely no sense to me - indeed, if anythng it just amplifies the confusion.

I mean, the request for a clear, unambiguous, simple statement of where we exactly stand on this really doesn't seem a lot to ask.

Agree the QF statement is comms-spin-101. In fairness what could anyone expect Qantas to clarify?
The elephant in the room is that a benefit is removed-by-stealth, and the likelihood of it coming back, in my opinion, is zero.

 

[Ric]

The elephant in the room is that a benefit is removed-by-stealth, and the likelihood of it coming back, in my opinion, is zero.

And I believe that this is the single reason why the fuss in this thread is about; the potential permanent removal of the arrival access for WP

 

[trippin_the_rift]

And I believe that this is the single reason why the fuss in this thread is about; the potential permanent removal of the arrival access for WP

Qantas could have said 'arrivals access is a benefit of plat and this is a temp measure until xx_xx_xx_ when arrivals access will absolutely be coming back for plats' -- but no, they went with a generic comment. Maybe there's no smart comms folks left at QF.

Trust in arrivals access coming back = Zero

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Scared by enhancements, regular poor customer service, held up cash refunds, etc

 

[Gold Member]

Trust in arrivals access coming back = Zero

Trust in the Qantas Marketing Propoganda machine has always been ZERO.

 

[Hvr]

And I believe that this is the single reason why the fuss in this thread is about; the potential permanent removal of the arrival access for WP

When anytime access for WP was removed it was because of a campaign by this forum to get arrivals access for WPs. I think it's going to be a hard fight to retain it this time.

 

[JohnPhelan]

In all my years as a Platinum, I have only used arrivals access ONCE at a QF lounge. Do a lot of people use it regularly?

 

[Port Power]

In all my years as a Platinum, I have only used arrivals access ONCE at a QF lounge. Do a lot of people use it regularly?

Yes, although the visits are brief. As mentioned in earlier posts, it’s useful for a pit stop before an onward drive, to use internet, or even grab a quick breakfast after an overnight flight. A factor is having to collect bags from the carousel.